The Long Road Ahead
by marinefan123
Summary: A spikethumb and a swimmer find themselves embarking on a long and treacherous journey to find the Great Valley following a cataclysmic earthquake. However, when they meet a third traveler with a lot of regrets and a dark past, it could spell doom for all of them. Set during the first movie.
1. Companions

**Author's note: Well, I've tried several times over the years to write a fanfic involving my RP characters. After several attempts that went nowhere, I think I finally know where I want to go with this. Anyway, I really like iguanodons and think they're a highly underrated dinosaur. They're my favorite dinosaur and I think they need more love so I decided to write a story about one. **

Chapter 1: Companions.

One person's misfortune was another person's salvation. At least, that's what Strafe thought when she spotted the tyrannosaurus scavenging off the remains of a dinosaur unfortunate enough to be half buried under a rock slide. It had become a common sight over the past couple of days. All the predators were too busy feeding off the dead to pay her much attention. Sometimes it seemed like things couldn't get any worse than they already were. The land was dying, both the herbivores and carnivores growing more desperate by the day, and on top of that, the entire world seemed to be in the midst of an endless drought. But then the grandfather of all earthquakes ravaged the land, forever altering the landscape.

The young iguanodon reflected on her current predicament. She was alone, having just narrowly survived the rock slides, chasms, scorching jets of hot steam, and other perils that had accompanied the devastating earthquake. She had just barely lived to reach adulthood but her young life had been spent drifting from place to place, finding a home with whatever herd would accept her. Most dinosaurs traveled with their own kind but recently, she had been following a herd of parasaurolophuses. Unfortunately, she had watched as most of the herd was buried under a massive rockslide and now it appeared that none had survived. It really didn't matter though. Strafe had not taken the time to get to know any of the dinosaurs in that herd. Still, she was now alone in a land crawling with hungry predators. Most were too busy feeding on the dead but she knew her reprieve wouldn't last much longer. Strafe needed to find another herd, or at least a traveling companion. With her bluish-grey scales and black markings down her back and tail, she didn't exactly blend in well with the terrain. The young iguanodon trudged onward with only the monotonous thuds of her footfalls and the sound of her own exhausted breathing as company. Strafe knew her only chance for survival was to find the legendary Great Valle, a mythical place where the land was still green and thriving. She had no idea where to start though other than to head west.

Strafe's lime green eyes scanned the land for any sign of food. At last, her search paid off as she spotted a single fallen tree that had been uprooted by the shifting ground. Though the leaves were wilted, they were still green and edible.

"Finally." The exhausted iguanodon panted, bounding over to the tree.

Just as she was about to begin eating, Strafe heard footsteps approaching from behind. Turning her head and half expecting to see a hungry predator, the spikethumb was instead greeted by the sight of a parasaurolophus. He appeared to be slightly older than her, with a tan hide. He had dark green markings on his back and a pair of deep fresh cuts on his right hip, probably sustained during the quake.

For a few moments the two dinosaurs simply stared at each other before the parasaur spoke.

"Hey, you're that spikethumb that was following us earlier!" he exclaimed.

Strafe cocked her head, surveying the newcomer. Though she didn't know him, she recognized him from the herd she had been following.

The iguanodon nodded her head and asked, "Did any others make it?"

The hadrosaur snorted. "Yeah but… What does it matter anyway? They left me behind because of my leg!"

The parasaurolophus turned his head and looked at the deep gashes on his hip.

Strafe decided now was the best time to act. "Well, perhaps we could travel together."

The male hadrosaur gave Strafe an odd look as if it were a ludicrous idea.

Undeterred, the iguanodon continued, "After all, there is safety in numbers and we would be much better off working together than traveling alone."

The parasaur huffed and spat, "What difference does it make? We're all gonna die anyway!"

Strafe shook her head. "I intend to find the Great Valley. If we work together, it would be a lot easier for both…"

Strafe was cut off when the hadrosaur exclaimed, "The Great Valley doesn't exist! It's just a stupid myth spread around by idiots too foolish to accept their fate! There is no magical valley and no future! The world is dying and all we are doing is delaying the inevitable!"

Strafe was taken aback by the hadrosaur's harsh words. With a scowl, the female iguanodon retorted, "Well, if you'd rather sit here and starve, that's fine by me! I haven't resigned myself to die here so if you'll excuse me I'll be on my way!"

As Strafe began to walk away, she turned to the swimmer and warned, "However, you will be a easy target with that injured leg."

Strafe started walking again and she heard the swimmer's footsteps as he limped up beside her, clearly having changed his mind.

"I take it you're coming then. I'll go slow so you can keep up." Strafe offered, but got no response from the parasaur.

The female iguanodon snorted and continued walking. It was unnerving that her new companion wouldn't talk to her. He wasn't exactly the friendliest dinosaur she had met either. Still, he was better than no company at all.

The blazing hot sun continued to beat down as the two dinosaurs trudged through the barren wasteland. Neither said a word as they walked along. Strafe passed the time by observing the landscape around her, admiring the jagged rock formations that jutted into the sky and occasionally glancing back to make sure the parasaur was still following her. Hours passed and finally the hot sun began to set directly ahead.

_That's it. I'm stopping. t_he exhausted dinosaur thought to herself, looking for a suitable place to spend the night. She had not slept soundly since the earthquake and was in dire need of rest. Finding a suitable resting spot next to one of the rock formations, Strafe lowered herself down onto the ground, curling her tail around herself and letting out a sigh as her aching bones finally relaxed. A few minutes later, the parasaur finally caught up to her and lied down several feet away. He let out a gasp of pain as he tried to pull his wounded leg in close to his body.

Strafe glanced at her traveling companion's injuries. Aside from the two gashes at the top of his leg, she saw numerous bruises and scrapes on his foot and ankle.

I'm sure those will heal if given time." Strafe declared. She then asked, "If we're going to be traveling together, we should at least know eachother's names. My name is Strafe. What's yours?"

"Snork…" the parasaur said in a voice so silent Strafe could barely hear it.

She let out an involuntary snicker at the name to which the hadrosaur scowled.

"You think my name is funny?" he spat.

"Well… yeah." Strafe replied matter-of-factly. "But I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of though. I've heard worse names."

Snork crossed his arms and laid his head down upon them. "I hope a predator doesn't find us sleeping here."

Strafe frowned at the pessimistic comment. "You certainly have a sunny outlook on life, don't you?" the spikethumb commented sarcastically.

"I'm just looking at this realistically." the swimmer replied.

With a sigh, Snork said, "The truth is, my father was the one who banished me from the herd. My mother and my siblings died when I was very young and he blamed me for it. My whole life, he told me I was weak and pathetic. I think losing half the herd in that earthshake finally drove him over the edge though."

Strafe looked at Snork, feeling a bit of sympathy for the young swimmer now.

"My father told me he had no use for weak offspring. He disowned me and drove me away from the herd, leaving me to die. And then I met you."

"I'm so sorry." Strafe said in a soft voice that was barely above a whisper.

A confused expression crossed the hadrosaur's face and Strafe could see the confusion in Snork's brown eyes. Compassion was not something he was accustomed to.

"Perhaps we should just get some rest." Snork suggested before letting out a tired yawn. "We can discuss this more in the morning."

Strafe nodded and laid her head down on her folded arms. Before she knew it she had drifted off to sleep.

.

.

.

Strafe was abruptly awakened by someone shaking her.

"Hey, wake up! We need to get moving!" Snork exclaimed.

Strafe opened her eyes, lifted her head, and let out a yawn. "Is it morning already?" she asked.

The warm morning sun was already shining upon her bluish-grey skin and Strafe knew it was time to get up. Slowly and reluctantly, the iguanodon forced herself to her feet, feeling her muscles ache in protest. She stretched and looked around to get her bearings. Directly ahead of them was what appeared to be a solid rock wall with a dark, narrow ravine appearing to be the only way to continue.

"I'm not looking forward to going through there." Snork commented.

"Nor am I, but it looks like the only way.

Snork sighed. "Alright, lead the way."

Strafe and her companion made their way to entrance of the ravine and peered inside. Rocky walls several hundred feet high towered overhead, almost blocking out the sun. The air smelled of death.

"So… do you actually know how to find this Great Valley of yours?" Snork inquired, staring nervously into the canyon.

"Well, I know it's located in the west, toward the ocean." Strafe replied. "Problem is, the earthshake completely changed the land. I heard that the most direct way to get there was through a volcanic mountain range. I don't even know how to find that though."

"So in other words you have no clue where to go." Snork scoffed, folding his arms.

"No, not really."

"Great…" Snork muttered.

"We may as well get this over with. Let's get going." Strafe suggested, cautiously entering the ravine. The iguanodon treaded carefully as she made her way through the canyon with Snork not far behind. Strafe walked on two legs rather than on all fours like she usually did. This posture gave her a greater view of the surrounding area and also made her more nimble in case she needed to react fast. The two dinosaurs glanced around at every shadow and formation, knowing that any of them could conceal a hungry predator. After hours of slow progress over the rough terrain, the two dinosaurs arrived at a fork in the canyon. The pathway on the left seemed relatively flat but it curved beyond view after only a few hundred yards. On top of that, there was a strong odor of rotting flesh emanating from that rout. The path on the right was extremely narrow and led up a steep, rocky incline that looked like it was covered with loose boulders.

"Which way do we go?" Snork asked.

It didn't take long for Strafe to make up her mind.

"That way." replied the female spikethump, gesturing toward the steep path on the right.

"But the other way looks easier." Snork protested.

"True, but in case you haven't noticed, whoever went down that path seems to have met an unfortunate end. The path on the right is steep, but it also makes it difficult for predators to ambush us. The only way they could attack us is from head on, which would be suicide."

The parasaurolophus sighed. "I'm not sure I can do it with my injured leg and all."

"The path is only wide enough for us to travel single file. There is no way to turn around once we start up there. You can go in front so that I can push you from behind if you get stuck." Strafe instructed.

Snork nodded. "I still don't like this plan though."

"Nor do I but it's all we've got."

Snork tentatively started up the steep grade. With the extremely narrow canyon walls closing in tighter and tighter, he was clearly nervous. The hadrosaur was not built for rock climbing and he was making extremely slow progress. His hurt leg wasn't helping. Snork placed his good leg on top of a particularly steep ledge and tried to pull himself up, but to his horror, his injured leg suddenly seized up. Making matters worse, he was in an awkward position with his good leg at an odd angle where he couldn't push up with it.

Turning his head and looking down at Strafe, who was just below him on the slope, Snork exclaimed, "I'm stuck!"

"Here. I'll push you up." Strafe said as she moved in behind him. The iguanodon pressed her left shoulder under Snork's rump and pushed him upward with all her might. The parasaur grabbed hold of the rocks and pulled himself up. Finally he was able to push up with his good leg and the hadrosaur pulled himself up onto the ledge.

"Thanks…" he panted.

Strafe called up to him jokingly, "Ya know, you're pretty heavy for someone who's half starved!"

Snork huffed and replied in a witty manner, "Well, it's a good thing you're the one doing the pushing then! I'd have broken my back trying to push your fat butt up this mountain!"

Strafe protested indignantly. "My butt isn't fat!"

She crouched down and jumped upward, mostly clearing the ledge that had given Snork so much trouble. She dug her stubby toe claws into the rock and pulled herself up with relative ease.

Snork called back to her, a grin on his face, "Oh yes it is! I've had to look at it most of the way!"

Strafe grinned mischievously and retorted while pulling herself up over another rocky ledge, "If you keep talking about my butt, I'll give yours a good kicking when we get to the top of this hill! Nobody calls me fat and gets away with it!"

"Alright, alright!" Snork laughed, continuing his way up the hill.

The two dinosaurs continued to make all manner of childish wisecracks at one another as they scaled the steep incline. Sure it was immature, but they found it to be fun and it passed the time quicker. Finally, just as the sun was setting, the two dinosaurs reached the top of the slope. The path widened and they were able to travel side by side again.

Strafe turned to Snork and asked with a serious tone, "Do you really think I'm fat?"

"Of course not! I was just joking!" Snork said with a chuckle.

Strafe was glad to see him come out of his shell. Sure, it was a dumb conversation but Snork seemed a lot more sociable than before.

Snork reached the top first and he promptly frowned.

He called to Strafe, a distressed tone in his voice, "Uhh, Strafe, you might wanna take a look at this!"

"What now?" asked the iguanodon as she stepped up beside her companion.

She glanced down at the bottom of the hill ahead and was relieved to see a large puddle of rainwater that had collected there. What she saw beyond that though made her let out a frustrated snort.

"You have gotta be kidding me…" she whispered.

There, just ahead was yet another fork in the canyon.

"Great! This place is a maze!" Snork exclaimed in frustration. "We'll starve before we find our way out of here!"

Strafe sighed. "Let's take the path on the right again. Maybe we'll get lucky and find our way out of here."

The dinosaurs cautiously started down the hill, eager for a drink. Snork reached the bottom and began to lap up the cold water, letting its soothing coolness flow through his body. Strafe drank her fill and looked around while Snork soaked his hurt leg in the water.

Strafe spotted a clump of ferns and was tempted to devour them but she thought of how weak Snork was at the moment. The iguanodon tore the clump of ferns from the ground with her mouth and carried them over to Snork.

Placing the ferns beside the water, Strafe said gently, "I found these. You need them more than I do."

Snork looked at the fresh greens and then up at Strafe again, a confused look on his face.

"In my old herd, the weak ones were always the ones who ate last."

"Perhaps that's why they were always weak." Strafe said, nudging the ferns closer to her new friend.

Snork smiled and quickly made short work of the green food. The pair continued on their way shortly afterward. Night fell much more quickly than they had expected. Soon, Strafe and Snork were walking along in almost total darkness. Though the starry sky was visible above the rim of the canyon, the steep canyon walls and the depth of the canyon itself prevented the light from the moon from reaching the floor. Both dinosaurs moved as quickly as they could.

"It's so dark…" Snork whispered, remaining close to his companion, clearly worried.

As the night went on, both Snork and Strafe would occasionally hear creatures moving all around them in the darkness. Suddenly a small rock bounced down the side of the canyon and both dinosaurs looked up just in time to see a dark shape vanish from view at the rim of the canyon.

"Something's following us!" the parasaur whispered to Strafe. "I think it's a fast biter!"

"I know. And where there's one fast biter, there is bound to be more." Strafe replied.

Almost as if on cue, both dinosaurs saw the shadowy form of a fast biter vanish into the darkness off to their right. Then they heard scurrying footsteps off to their left and more coming up from behind. They had walked right into a predator ambush. Though the predators hadn't attacked yet, both dinosaurs knew it was only a matter of time. The hungry fast biters would just bide their time and wait for an opportunity to attack.

Strafe knew there was no point in trying to keep quiet. She asked her companion, "Snork, did your father happen to teach you any survival skills by any chance?"

The swimmer shook his head.

Strafe instructed "Listen carefully. Stay as close to me as possible, keep moving at a steady pace, and most importantly, do not panic! They'll only attack us if we present them with an easy target."

Snork nodded his head to show he understood. Still, he was visibly frightened. Strafe honestly didn't know how effective her plan would be. She had only encountered predators a few times in her life but they had never been after her specifically.

For more than an hour, the tense standoff continued. Strafe and her friend continued onward, well aware that they were being stalked. Suddenly Snork heard something right next to his head and turned to find himself face to face with a Utahraptor that was standing on a ledge next to him. The predator suddenly sprang and landed on Snork's back. Before it could deal any serious damage with its claws, the parasaur threw himself against the rocky wall of the canyon, scraping off his unwanted passenger. However, now the rest of the fast biters swarmed in. Strafe heard the pitter-patter of their feet as they charged her from behind. One of the predators took a snap at the iguanodon's left back leg but she pulled her leg out of the way just in time and then followed up with a brutal kick to the face, sending the fast biter bouncing across the ground. Another fast biter attempted to leap onto Strafe's back but she swatted it in midair with a well-time swing of her tail. Snork sidestepped one raptor that attempted to pounce on him and then backhanded a second one immediately afterward. A fast biter stalked around the two leaf-eaters, hissing and growling. Then it charged toward Snork, choosing the weakened swimmer over the healthy spikethumb. This proved to be a mistake, however. As the utahraptor leaped at Snork, it was headbutted in midair by Strafe and sent slamming into a rock wall. The raptor fell to the ground in a crumpled heap and laid there stunned and dazed for a few seconds before slowly getting to its feet and shaking its head. The raptor hissed to its companions and turned and limped off into the darkness. The other predators followed and the attack ended just as quickly as it had begun.

Once she was certain that the predators had left, Strafe turned to her companion and asked, "Are you alright, Snork?"

The swimmer nodded. "I'll live. How about you?"

The spikethump nodded. "I'm alright. Let's go."

The leaf-eaters continued on their way. After several more hours, the sky overhead began to grow light. After the long and terrifying night, it was a welcome sight.

"So, do you remember what things were like? Ya know, before everything changed?" Snork inquired.

Strafe nodded. "Vaguely. I remember my mother and father. I remember playing with other spikethumbs. And green food was still plentiful. But then those burning rocks fell from the sky… I don't know exactly what happened to my father. All I remember is a bright flash of light and a wall of fire moving toward us. My mother pushed me into a crevice and shielded me with her body. She was able to protect me from the fire but... but she burned to death herself."

A chill went down Strafe's spine as she recalled the horrific memories.

"I had four brothers and three sisters all the same age as me. Everything that happened is just a blur. I remember that wall of fire rushing toward us." Snork explained. "I never saw what became of my siblings and perhaps that is for the best. We were running toward a nearby cave for shelter but I tipped and fell. My mother came back to get me. She carried me as she ran for the cave but the ground began to shake. Just as we made it inside, the roof collapsed. My mother threw me clear just before she was crushed beneath the rocks."

Snork took a deep breath and Strafe saw a tear slide down his face. "My father blamed me for what happened. I guess he was angry about losing his family and he wanted someone to blame."

Strafe nodded her head to show she understood.

"I know one thing." the spikethumb said somberly. "After that day, I stopped being a kid. I saw the charred remains of my playmates… My aunts and uncles… cousins… I was the only survivor from my herd. After that I just drifted from herd to herd, following whoever would take me in."

The grim look vanished from Strafe's face and was replaced by determination. "But we'll never have to worry about that once we find the Great Valley."

Snork smiled and asked, "How do you do it, Strafe? How do you stay optimistic in spite of everything you've been through?"

"Sometimes I ask myself that very question." She replied. "I've cheated death so many times. I survived the burning sky rocks, a flood that drowned a hard I was traveling with, and even that earthshake. I've survived all of that and I don't feel like letting something like this stupid canyon do me in!"

With a surge of confidence in her voice, Strafe said to her friend, "We're gonna find our way out of this maze, Snork. That I promise you!"

At that moment, the sound of scurrying footsteps somewhere above the two dinosaurs suddenly caught Snork's attention and he looked up just in time to see another fast biter staring down at them.

"We're being followed again." The swimmer said to Strafe.

Strafe snorted, glaring up at their stalker. The fast biter quickly vanished from view.

"I think that's the same one that was following us last night." Snork declared.

"One fast biter can't take on two of us so as long as more don't come we'll be alright." Strafe replied.

Around mid-day, the two leaf-eaters came to yet another split in the ravine. This time the path went off in three different directions.

"This is madness!" Snork growled. "How are we ever going to find our way out of here?"

Strafe stood there pondering their situation. While the spikethumb thought about which way to go, Snork heard a crunching sound just around one of the bends in the canyon up ahead. As silently as he could, the paresaurolophus crept up to the corner and peered around. There he saw a Utahraptor gnawing on the bones of a deceased threehorn. It was the same one which had been stalking them since the day before. The swimmer had had enough. Between his lack of sleep, his hunger, constantly being stalked by predators, and the frustration of being stranded in the ravine, Snork was fed up. The swimmer felt anger building up inside of him and before he even really knew what he was doing, the hadrosaur charged headlong toward the raptor. The Utahraptor's yellow eyes widen with surprise and fear and the creature leaped to its feet but there was no time to react. With a swift kick, Snork knocked the predator to the ground. He placed his good foot on the raptor's side and pressed down.

"What are you doing?" the raptor croaked, struggling to breath as Snork pressed down on his diaphragm.

Snork was initially taken aback when the predator spoke but nonetheless, he was undaunted.

"You've been stalking us for the past two days! I'm putting an end to it right now!"

"I wasn't doing anything to you!" the raptor croaked again, barely able to speak as the swimmer's weight pressed down upon him.

Strafe suddenly rounded the corner, having heard the commotion.

"Snork, what are you doing?!" Strafe exclaimed with alarm in her voice.

"I'm getting rid of this predator! That will be one less thing for us to worry about!" growled the swimmer.

"I didn't... mean… any harm…" the fast biter gasped desperately, almost completely unable to breath.

"Let him go, Snork. Please." Strafe pleaded.

The female iguanodon was unsure why she felt sorry for this predator. It just seemed wrong to kill someone unprovoked, even if they were just a predator.

Snork gave his traveling companion a confused look and Strafe shouted, "Let him go, Snork! NOW!"

The sharp tone of Strafe's voice unnerved the parasaur and Snork immediately complied this time, releasing the raptor from beneath his foot.

"Get out of here!" he growled at the predator. The Utahraptor jumped to his feet and quickly darted away without saying another word.

"Why did you do that?" Snork asked, still surprised by how Strafe had snapped at him.

"Were you just going to kill him in cold blood?" Strafe retorted.

"Who cares? It was a predator! They would gladly do the same to us if given half the chance!" Snork said, trying to defend his actions.

Strafe sighed. "I know. I'm sure he's just trying to survive like the rest of us though. We shouldn't just go around looking for trouble. I don't know… It just didn't seem right."

Snork sighed. "Well, the sooner we put this place behind us the better."

Strafe examined the three different trails and just decided to pick one at random.

"That way." She said, starting off down the trail directly ahead.

After traveling about a mile, the dinosaurs came to a place where a small stream flowed through the canyon. The stream was fed by a waterfall that poured down from above the canyon.

"Great…" Strafe uttered under her breath.

_We'll never get out of here…_ she thought silently to herself.

Snork saw the look of doubt on his companion's face and shook his head.

"We're not giving up." The swimmer vowed.

He surveyed the stream and said, "Perhaps if we follow this stream, we'll find a way out of here."

Strafe nodded in agreement. "Alright. First we should look around for something to eat. Most of the food I've found has been growing next to water."

"Alright. I'll go look over there." Snork said, gesturing to a spot further down the stream where the water was calm.

"Be careful, Snork. Don't go too far by yourself." Strafe advised.

"I won't. I'll be fine." Snork reassured the iguanodon as he stepped into the cool water, a look of relief appearing on his face as he soaked his sore feet. Strafe waded into the water and felt the cooling relief of the cold water over her own feet. She waded over to the base of the waterfall searching for any ferns or aquatic plants that might be growing there. As the iguanodon sniffed around, she suddenly heard the sound of something land next to her head. As the spikethumb turned to see what it was, her heart almost skipped a beat as she found herself staring into a pair of yellow eyes. It was the same fast biter that she had just stopped Snork from killing. He was standing on a rock just a few feet from her head. With no time to react, it appeared that her good deed had literally come back to bite her.

To be continued…

**Anthor's note: Ok, so this story takes place shortly after the big earthquake in the original movie. Also, the asteroids mentioned earlier were actually meant to be the one that wiped out all the dinosaurs. In this universe, it broke up into several pieces before hitting the ground, resulting in several smaller impacts across a wide area instead of one massive impact. While this still devastated much of the world, it wasn't bad enough to result in an extinction event. Anyway, that's just something I thought I'd explain.**


	2. Rigel

Chapter 2: Rigel

Strafe and the raptor stared at one another for several seconds, expecting him to spring at her any moment. The Utahraptor simply remained perched casually atop the rock, surveying the female iguanodon.

"Don't be afraid. I won't harm you." he finally spoke after a long, tense silence.

"What do you want?" Strafe demanded, backing away from the predator.

"First, I wanted to thank you for standing up for me. I doubt most plant eaters would have been so generous." the raptor stated. "As such, I feel I should repay you for what you did for me."

Strafe's green eyes narrowed. "What do you mean? What could you possibly do for us?"

The fast biter answered, "You want to get out of this ravine. I know a way out. I also overheard you mention something about the Great Valley. What if I told you I knew exactly how to find it?"

Strafe huffed and growled, "I don't believe a word you're saying! You're a hunter! Why would you help a leaf eater? For all I know you could just be leading us to your pack!"

"I… have no pack…" the raptor replied flatly. "And even if I did, I wouldn't bother going through all this trouble first."

The iguanodon frowned. "You still didn't answer my question. Why are you interested in helping us?"

"Well, for one thing, I admire your optimism." explained the fast biter. "I've been watching you two since you first entered this ravine. Most who enter this ravine don't last very long before breaking down. You've kept your spirits high even in the face of grave danger."

The fast biter then smiled and said, "And I also respect your integrity. I doubt your swimmer friend would have actually killed me. After all, swimmers are not violent killers by nature. But you no doubt spared me from a grave injury and for that I am thankful."

Looking up at the female iguanodon with piercing yellow eyes, he added, "Also, it has been quite a while since I've had any sort of excitement in my life. I could use a good adventure."

The raptor finally stood up and leaped down from the rock he was perched on, landing in the water with a splash. Strafe surveyed the predator. He was of a slender build. His body was covered in light grey, almost fur-like pinfeathers with a pattern of similar red feathers extending from the top of his head, running down his back, and ending at the tip of his tail. His arms and legs were covered with grey pinfeathers similar to the ones on the rest of his body. Strafe's eyes shifted down to the raptor's signature retractable claws, which were just as razor sharp as one would expect.

Strafe snorted and lashed her tail, still uncertain about whether to trust the meat eater or not.

"I don't think we need your help." snapped the female iguanodon and with that, she turned and began to walk down the stream, looking for Snork.

The fast biter called after her, "If you want to escape from this ravine, just follow this stream. It eventually empties into a river. However, I believe you'll find the river to be extremely treacherous. It's the only way out though."

Strafe turned and glanced back at the raptor. "Alright, if you are so certain you can lead us to the Great Valley then by all means, show us the way."

"Of course." the Utahraptor responded, wading through the water that came up to his knees as he walked past Strafe.

The spikethumb placed an arm in front of him, blocking his back, and then threatened, "However, if you betray us, I promise that you will regret it dearly."

"Understood." The raptor replied. "Now come on. We're wasting valuable time."

Just as they two dinosaurs rounded the bend in the creek, Snork appeared.

"Hey, Strafe, I couldn't find any…"

The swimmer spotted the raptor and snarled, "You! What are you doing here!?"

"Easy, Snork. He said he knows how to find the Great Valley." Strafe explained, trying to keep the situation calm. She knew there would be trouble the moment Snork saw the fast biter.

"And you actually believe him?" Snork exclaimed in a state of pure disbelief.

"Not really. But I already made it clear what would happen if he betrayed us." Strafe stated firmly, glaring at the predator.

Snork snorted in pure disdain as he glared at the fast biter. "I don't like this."

"Nor do I." replied, Strafe, shaking her head. "But he is our best lead so far."

Reluctantly, Snork relented. "Alright. But I still don't like it."

The raptor glanced at the two plant eaters. "So your name is Strafe…" he said to the female spikethumb. Turning to the parasaur, he said, "And your name is Snork. My name is Rigelus, but you can just call me Rigel."

Then, without another word, the fast biter began to lead the way down the stream. Strafe and Snork just glanced at one another and shrugged, following after the raptor. The ravine walls on either side of the stream were so narrow that the three dinosaurs all had to walk single file. Strafe studied Rigel carefully. She had many questions racing through her mind and her curiosity was getting the better of her. To her, predators had always been nothing more than mindless savages.

"So, how is it that you can speak?" Strafe asked Rigel.

The raptor grinned. "It's a rather long tale so I'll just tell you the short version." Rigel started to explain. "Basically, someone way back in my family lineage learned to speak your language. None of us knew who it was though. It took years to master the language and become fluent."

Rigel chuckled and continued, "The funny thing is, we had never thought of leaf eaters as being intelligent before we learned their language. For my family, that revelation changed everything. Some of us didn't want to hunt anymore. Some of us chose to do so regardless, seeing it as a necessary evil. After all, we had to eat. But others, like me, decided to take a different approach."

Strafe cocked her head curiously. "What do you mean?"

"I took to hunting smaller creatures such as rock lizards, bugs, fish, and whatever other small things I could catch. Those small morsels manage to sustain me, but I'm not above scavenging off the dead though."

Strafe nodded. "I see." she said, taking a small amount of comfort in knowing that Rigel would rather eat other things besides her.

"So what happened to your pack?" Strafe inquired to which Rigel frowned.

"I'd rather not discuss it." the raptor replied flatly as he continued walking, avoiding eye contact.

"I understand." Strafe said in almost a gentle whisper, assuming that they were most likely dead. After all, it wasn't uncommon in this brutal wasteland.

Strafe suddenly became aware of a steady rumbling sound ahead.

Snork, who was trailing behind like always, noticed it as well. "What's that noise?" asked the swimmer.

"That sound is the river up ahead." Rigel called back.

Eager to escape from the ravine, the dinosaurs picked the pace. The roaring waters of the river became louder and louder until finally the spray became visible. The stream they were wading through abruptly ended in a small waterfall which drained into the river. The instant Strafe laid eyes on the river, her jaw dropped in shock and awe of what lay before her. When Snork caught up, he too stared in shock. There before the three dinosaurs was the most terrifying set of rapids any of them had ever seen. The raging water was white and foamy with massive waves as high as thirty feet, as well as deep hydraulics and deadly rocks.

"Okay, what now? How are we supposed to get past this?" Snork demanded.

Rigel replied, "Well, this is the way I came into the ravine. I walked along that little path there."

The raptor gestured to a tiny, extremely narrow ledge just above the raging current.

"And what in blazes are we supposed to do? That path is too small for us to use!" Snork exclaimed.

"You'll have to swim." Rigel replied as if the answer was obvious.

"You're insane!" protested the swimmer. "There is no way we could swim in that!"

"Snork's right. It would be suicide to try in swim through those rapids." Strafe said.

"Look, the rapids end just a couple miles down the river." Rigel explained. "There is no other way out of this canyon as far as I know. We'll just have to take our chances with the river."

Snork shook his head. "This is unbelievable."

Strafe looked into the uninviting water and felt a chill go down her spine. She knew in her heart that there was no other alternative though.

"Snork, since you're a swimmer, perhaps you could lead us down the river. After all, you have a better chance than the rest of us." Strafe suggested.

Snork sighed. "Alright. I guess it's better than starving to death."

Rigel looked into the deadly water and said to the others with a hint of fear in his voice, "Well, we may as well get this over with."

Snork nodded and muttered with fear evident in his voice as, "Well, here goes nothing."

The parasaur got a running start and dived off the top of the small waterfall, plunging into the whitewater and instantly vanishing into the foamy rapids. Without even waiting for him to surface, Strafe and Rigel leaped in as well. The instant Strafe hit the water, the current pulled her straight to the bottom. The iguanodon lost all sense of direction as the current rolled her over again and again and sent her bouncing along the rocky riverbed. She desperately tried to get her bearings as she held her breath. The riverbed suddenly dropped sharply downward and the sudden change in current pushed Strafe to the surface. Breaking through the turbulent surface, Strafe gasp for breath, paddling her legs and struggling not to get pulled under again. She narrowly missed a large rock as the current swept her along. Water splashed in her face and stung her eyes as she fought to stay afloat. Seemingly out of nowhere, Rigel swam up next to her and wrapped his arms around her neck, holding on for dear life. The raptor wasn't very heavy so he was not really a bourdon for the iguanodon.

"Sorry! My kind aren't the best swimmers!" the fast biter shouted over the roar of the river.

Up ahead, Strafe caught a glimpse of Snork bobbing up and down in the water. The current swept the hadrosaur into one of the massive hydraulics but his forward momentum pushed him clear. Strafe took a deep breath as the current swept her in next. As with Snork, she was pushed clear as well. Up ahead, the water sprayed in all directions as it struck a large rock in the middle of the river. Snork paddled desperately as he tried to avoid the rock but it was too late. The parasaur scraped his leg against the side of the rock, tearing the scab off his wounds and reopening the gashes on his injured right leg. Snork let out a shriek of pain as he disappeared under the waves yet again. Strafe let out a gasp of horror, accidentally inhaling a little bit of water in the process. Moments later, the swimmer surfaced again, coughing and gagging. To avoid the same situation, Strafe turned sideways and used her tail as a rudder, trying to steer herself around the boulder but it was already too late. As a last resort, the iguanodon rolled onto her side, using all four of her legs to absorb the impact. She then propelled herself off the rock and followed after Snork, who was now struggling more than ever. He was just barely keeping his head above the water and Strafe was fearful that he would drown. She wanted to call out to him but it would do no good. All anyone could hear was the roar of the rapids. Strafe eventually realized that the river was calming just as Rigel said it would. The massive waves and hydraulics were gone and now there were just a few rocks to steer around. Finally, the steep gorge gave way to a gentle, sandy river bank lined with trees. The first thing Strafe noticed was the vibrant greenery that still clung to the trees.

"There…" Rigel gasped, pointing a clawed finger at the river bank with one hand while still clinging to Strafe's neck with the other.

There was no need to tell Snork. The parasaur was already well ahead of them and paddling toward the shore. Snork crawled out of the river and limped up the river bank. Strafe paddled as hard as she could until she could touch the bottom. Rigel let go of her neck and paddled to shore as well. Strafe climbed out of the river behind Snork, coughing on the water she had accidently inhaled during the trip. Snork keeled over, gagging as if he were about to vomit. He coughed for several seconds before regaining his composure.

Strafe gasped as she saw the reopened wounds on Snork's leg. Scarlet blood stained his tan hide, mingling with the water that dripped from his body. The hadrosaur limped over to one of the trees and gently lied down at its base.

Rigel darted over to the injured swimmer, examining his wounds.

"Wait here." The raptor instructed to the two leaf eaters, just before he ran off into the grove of trees.

"Where's he going?" Snork croaked weakly.

"I don't know." replied Strafe as she lied down beside him.

The wind picked up and the two dinosaurs gazed up at the sky to the west. Dark storm clouds were rolling in. In the dry, barren land, the approaching clouds were actually a welcome sight. The wind smelled of moisture and rain, bringing the weary travelers a sense of relief.

"Well, we're alive." Strafe said to her friend, a smile on her face. In her heart though, she was worried. Snork's wounds were bleeding badly.

Moments later, Rigel returned carrying a bundle of vines in one hand and a gourd of some sort in the other. The raptor squatted down beside Snork and used the retractable talon on his foot to slash the gourd open. After pulling the two halves apart, Rigel placed the vines on a nearby boulder, picked up a chunk of limestone, and pounded the green vines into a fine paste. Next, he took the paste and mixed it with the pulpy juice inside the gourd until it had formed a sticky, gooey paste.

Scooping up the paste, Rigel looked at Snork end explained, "This is going to hurt, but it should stop the bleeding and keep the wound from getting infected."

For a moment, Snork looked confused until Rigel began to rub the paste into his wounds. The hadrosaur tensed up, pinched his eyes shut, and was clearly struggling not to scream. After Rigel finished applying the concoction, he too gazed up at the sky.

Turning his attention back to Snork, the fast biter mused, "It appears we're in for a storm. Perhaps you two should eat something before the rain starts. I'll find us a suitable shelter for the night."

Strafe nodded to Rigel and then turned her attention back to Snork.

"Since your leg is hurt again, I will bring you some food." the iguanodon instructed.

Snork just nodded, turning his head to survey the wound once again. Just as Rigel had said, the bleeding had stopped and the painful burning sensation had actually wavered as well. The hadrosaur watched as Strafe snagged a branch covered with lush green treestars and pulled it down from the tree. Next, she walked over to a palm tree and tore down another branch. Snork watched as Strafe gathered a rather large collection of greenery that included fresh fruit and lush, green leaves.

The hadrosaur stared hungrily t the green food. "That looks so delicious." he said.

"I'll split it with you." Strafe replied, looking up at the sky as the dark clouds covered the sun.

The scent of rain grew stronger and the low rumbling of thunder was closer now. Rigel returned and gestured toward a nearby cliff.

"I found a shelter for us. It's not much but it will keep the rain off of us." the Utahraptor said.

Strafe grabbed the huge bundle of green food in her arms and followed Rigel as he led the way through the grove of trees. Snork slowly got to his feet and followed, limping as he walked. They came to a large alcove at the base of the cliff. Overhead, a bolt of fluorescent blue lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a loud crack of thunder.

"Let's hurry!" Snork panted, making his way inside.

Snork carefully lowered himself to the ground and waited for the others. Strafe laid the huge bundle of green food down on the stone floor and set about preparing the food she had gathered. She mixed the various types of leaves and fruit together in one big pile and then divided it into two separate piles.

"Here." The female iguanodon said in a gentle tone as she pushed one of the piles of food over to Snork.

"Thanks." Snork said with a smile before digging in. A look of surprise and delight appeared on the swimmer's face and he exclaimed, "Hey, this is pretty good!"

Rigel commented, "I've never heard of anyone mixing food together like that. Is that a spikethumb thing?"

Strafe chuckled, lying down beside her pile of food. "I used to do it as a kid. It's been years since I've been able to enjoy it like this though."

"I see." Rigel replied.

The raptor sat down and waited for Strafe and Snork to finish their meals.

Snork crossed his arms and rested his head on them. "I can't even remember the last time I've had that much to eat." The parasaur chimed happily.

Rigel took a claw and began drawing a map in the dirt. The raptor explained to the two leaf eaters, "Alright, here is the plan. We will follow the river until it turns toward the south."

He drew a line in the dust representing the river.

"Past the bend in the river, we will come to a large, dry desert. The desert will be a lot like the lands you two have been traveling through already so you should be used to that by now."

Strafe and Snork both watched Rigel's movements as he began adding landmarks to the map.

"The dry wasteland is a longer rout to take, but it will bypass the volcanoes, which are far more dangerous. Eventually we will arrive at a small oasis nestled among some hills. From there, we head north for a bit until we reach the Great Valley."

"You make it sound so easy." Strafe commented, staring at the odd series of confusing pictures Rigel had drawn.

"It will be anything but easy." Rigel replied.

A bright flash of lightning outside illuminated the inside of the alcove, followed by a crack of thunder. Outside, rain began to pour from the darkened sky.

Strafe gazed out into the story evening for a few seconds and then turned to the others again.

"Before we do anything else, I think we should stay here for a few days. That way we can rest up and regain our strength for the journey ahead."

Snork nodded. "That will give my leg time to heal also."

Rigel agreed. "I was just going to suggest that. For now, I think we could all use some sleep."

Strafe nodded. Having not slept in two days, she and Snork were both exhausted.

Snork waited for Rigel to bed down at the opposite end of the alcove before whispering to Strafe, "I still don't trust him."

"I'm not entirely sure I do either, but I don't think we have to worry. He can't take both of us by himself even if he does try to double cross us. And he did put that stuff on your leg that stopped the bleeding." Strafe whispered reassuringly to her companion. "For now, let's just go to sleep."

The iguanodon folded her front legs and rested her head on them, closing her tired eyes.

Snork followed suit and before long, all was quiet except for the steady pitter-patter of rain outside.

To be continued…


End file.
